Local Info

Long Beach Island is the Premier Family Destination at the Jersey Shore

Fantasy Island Amusement Park is located in Beach Haven, New Jersey, on gorgeous Long Beach Island.

And that means it’s located in the heart of one of the best family vacation destinations on the East Coast.

Beach Haven is one of six towns on Long Beach Island, though they are often collectively called “Long beach Island,” or LBI. Boasting 18 miles of beach, amusements, amazing boating and fishing, relaxing places to unwind in the sun, and fantastic summer rentals, it’s an amazing place to spend time with the family.

There are ALWAYS things to do here. From the annual Chowderfest to shows at the famous Surflight Theatre to concerts, festivals and more, LBI is more than just pretty beaches.

About Long Beach Island

Long Beach Island is best known for its tourism, fishing, and real estate, not to mention the world famous Barnegat Lighthouse, Old Barney. There are 20,000 year-round residents here, but during the summer the population is about 100,000 as renters, tourists, day-trippers, summer residents and others visit.

At its widest, Long Beach Island is just a half-mile wide, so no matter where you are along this 18 miles of island you’re only a few blocks from the beach!

You also have access to Barnegat Bay and Manahawkin Bay, where there is an active boating scene, jet skiing, exploring Island Beach State Park, crabbing and fishing, and lots more.

Towns on Long Beach Island include Barnegat Light, Ship Bottom, Harvey Cedars, Surf City, and Beach Haven – that’s where Fantasy Island Amusement Park is located – along with the town of Long Beach Island itself, which has neighborhoods such as Loveladies, Holgate, North Beach, and High Bar Harbor.

And places to eat? There is an endless number of them offering every kind of food you can imagine. The restaurants on LBI are fantastic!

Even better, during the summer LBI has a free shuttle that runs the length of the island, operating from 10am to 10pm every 5 to 20 minutes. That makes it easy to get around!

A Brief History of Long Beach Island

Long Beach Island used to be a key shipping and whaling location out of Barnegat Inlet, which is what prompted the construction of the Barnegat Lighthouse.

The original lighthouse was built in 1835, and help guide boaters through the sometimes turbulent waters of the Barnegat Inlet. The original lighthouse was torn down in 1857 and replaced by “Old Barney,” the now famous lighthouse still at the north end of the island, in 1859.

Today, a modern bridge allows access to the island by Route 72, but years ago, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Long Beach Island was actually served by the Tuckerton Railroad. People used to come here by train! There was even passenger service to Beach Haven all the way from Camden.

But the last rail shipment to LBI took place in 1941. Soon after, it started to develop into the family destination it is today.

Visit Long Beach Island!

There are lots of fun things to do on LBI, such as seeing the Lindsay L, a boat used in the film The Perfect Storm. It’s docked in the Viking Village section of Barnegat Light. There is a nearby water park, plenty of family fun, beach activities, festivals, and even things to do on a rainy day.

If you’ve never been to Long Beach Island, it’s time to pay it a visit with your family. And if you’ve been here before, you know how fun it can be!

Fantasy Island Amusement Park is located at 320 Seventh Street, Beach Haven, New Jersey, on gorgeous Long Beach Island. We are easily accessible from the Garden State Parkway and are just 20 minutes down the road.

The best resource for everything LBI has to offer, visit the Southern Ocean County Chamber website here.

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